Critical thinking has three key features: effectiveness, novelty, and self-direction. (p. 11, American Educator, Summer 2007,Critical Thinking - Why Is It So Hard To Teach, by Daniel T. Willingham)
JONASSEN'S MINDTOOLS THINKING MODEL
Definition: Mindtools are computer applications that require students to think in meaningful ways in order to use the application
to represent what they know. (p.3, Computers in the Classroom - Mindtools for Critical Thinking, by David H. Jonassen, 1996)
Pedagogical Criteria for Evaluating Mindtools*
David H. Jonassen
• The application can be used to represent knowledge.
• Generalizable to content in different subjects.
• Engages learner in critical thinking about subject.
• Develops skills transferable to other subject.
• Significantly restructures or amplifies thinking (provides alternative simple, powerful formalism for representing ideas.)
• Software should be learnable in 2 hours or less
Critical Thinking Skills Evaluating:
assessing reliability and usefulness determining criteria for judging prioritizing recognizing fallacies or errors testing hypothese Analyzing:
recognizing patterns categorization identifying assumptions identifying main ideas sequencing Connecting:
comparing/contrasting logical thinking inferring deductively inferring a principle inductively from data identifying causal
relationships predicting effects
Creative Thinking Skills Synthesizing:
thinking analogically summarizing main ideas in own words hypothesizing process planning Imagining:
expressing ideas fluently predicting results of conditions speculating wonderingusing intuition Elaborating:
expanding by adding details or examples changing ideas for different purposes applying to a different context assuming different point of view
concertizing general ideas
Complex Thinking Skills Problem Solving:
sensing the problem researching the problem formulating the problem finding alternatives choosing a solution building acceptance Designing:
imagining a goal formulating a goal inventing assess in revising a product Decision Making:
identifying an issue generating alternatives assessing consequences making choices, evaluating
Features of Higher - Order Thinking*
• Nonalogrithmic: the steps required to solve the problem are not completely identified in advance
• Complex: the complete solution is multi-dimensional
• Often yields multiple solutions
• Involves nuanced judgment interpretation
• Involves multiple, sometimes conflicting, criteria
• Involves self-regulation of thinking process (nobody else dictates each step to take)
• Requires finding meaning and structure in apparent disorder
• Requires considerable mental effort, elablorations and judgments are required
JONASSEN'S MINDTOOLS THINKING MODEL
Definition: Mindtools are computer applications that require students to think in meaningful ways in order to use the application
to represent what they know. (p.3, Computers in the Classroom - Mindtools for Critical Thinking, by David H. Jonassen, 1996)
Pedagogical Criteria for Evaluating Mindtools*
• The application can be used to represent knowledge.
• Generalizable to content in different subjects.
• Engages learner in critical thinking about subject.
• Develops skills transferable to other subject.
• Significantly restructures or amplifies thinking (provides alternative simple, powerful formalism for representing ideas.)
• Software should be learnable in 2 hours or less
Critical Thinking Skills
Evaluating:
assessing reliability and usefulness determining criteria for judging prioritizing recognizing fallacies or errors testing hypothese
Analyzing:
recognizing patterns categorization identifying assumptions identifying main ideas sequencing
Connecting:
comparing/contrasting logical thinking inferring deductively inferring a principle inductively from data identifying causal
relationships predicting effects
Creative Thinking Skills
Synthesizing:
thinking analogically summarizing main ideas in own words hypothesizing process planning
Imagining:
expressing ideas fluently predicting results of conditions speculating wonderingusing intuition
Elaborating:
expanding by adding details or examples changing ideas for different purposes applying to a different context assuming different point of view
concertizing general ideas
Complex Thinking Skills
Problem Solving:
sensing the problem researching the problem formulating the problem finding alternatives choosing a solution building acceptance
Designing:
imagining a goal formulating a goal inventing assess in revising a product
Decision Making:
identifying an issue generating alternatives assessing consequences making choices, evaluating
Features of Higher - Order Thinking*
• Nonalogrithmic: the steps required to solve the problem are not completely identified in advance
• Complex: the complete solution is multi-dimensional
• Often yields multiple solutions
• Involves nuanced judgment interpretation
• Involves multiple, sometimes conflicting, criteria
• Involves self-regulation of thinking process (nobody else dictates each step to take)
• Requires finding meaning and structure in apparent disorder
• Requires considerable mental effort, elablorations and judgments are required
*taken from EDPY485 Mindtools
Resources
Link to strategies to inspire critical thinkingWhat is this stuff all about